Sewing-machine presser-foot



(No Model.)

H. P. LANCASTER.

SEWING MACHINE PRESSER FOOT.

No 321,304. Patented June 30, 1885.

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UNITED STATES PATENT @rricn.

HENRY P. LANCASTER, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS.

SEWlNG-MACHlNE PRESSER-FOOT.

5PECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 321,304, dated June 80,1885.

Application filed February 19, 1885.

T0 aZZ whom 2'25 may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY P. LANCASTER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Lynn, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sewing- Machine Presser- Feet; and I do hereby declare that the same are fully described in the following specification, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an improved press er-foot for applying seam-stays to boots and shoes, and it is carried outas follows, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, where b Figure 1 represents a plan View of the in vent-ion. Fig. 2 represents a longitudinal section on the line A B,shown in Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 represents a cross-section on the line CD, also shown in Fig. 1.

Similar letters refer to similar parts wherever they occur on the dififerent parts of the drawings.

In applying seam-stays to cover up boot and shoe seams it is essential that the stay should be permitted to be fed forward with the boot and shoe upper with the least amount of frictional resistance to enable the work to be done evenly and rapidly. It is also essential that the stay and upper should he held in close contact with each other in close proximityto the place where the stitch is taken by the needle, so as to produce a durable and perfect seam. As both the upper and seam-stay vary in thickness during their lengths, it is also requisite that such part of the presser-foot as rests on the seam-stay should be capable of a yielding motion independent of that of the verticallyyielding presser'foot bar to which it is secured, so as to yield readily to such inequali ties in the thickness of seam-stay and upper, and for these purposes I construct my invention as follows:

a is the ordinary presser-foot, having its upper vertical end secured to .the verticallyyieiding presser-foot bar on a-sewing-machine, as usual.

On the presser-foot a are arranged hearingpieces a a, which may be made in one piecewith the presser-foot a. or attached to itin any suit-able manner. At (1." is hinged to the bear- (No mode.)

ings a a the yielding lever I), to the forward end of which is mounted loosely the anti-friction roller 0 upon the screw or pin (Z, that is secured to theforward end of lever b,as shown in the drawings.

a is a slotted perforation in the horizontal portion of the presserfoot a to permit the roller 0 to enter it while in the act of resting on the seam-stay 6, located above the junction of the upper ff of a boot or shoe during the process of sewing the seam-stay to the upper.

9 represents the usual sewing-machine plate or feed'support, on which the upper f rests during such process of sewing the seam-stay and upper together. The anti-friction roller 0 is preferably made conical or tapering, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, with an annular edge or rim, 0, in its larger end, so as to cause such edge or rim to bear against the seam-stay in close proximity to the place where the stitch is taken by the needle.

a is a cutaway place on one side of the slotted perforation a for the needle to enter as close as possible to the rim 0 of the antifriction roll 0, as shown in Fig. 1. It is important that the needle hole or slot (0* be formed in the presserfoot at one side of and directly opposite and in line with the axis or center of the roller 0, in order that the needle may pass through the material in close proximity to the point where the material is pressed upon by the roller.

Between the upper end of hinged lever Z) and the presser-foot a is located a yielding pressure-spring, h, acting on the lever b to hold the roller 0 with a yielding pressure against the upper side of the seam-stay c, as shown in the drawings. I do not wish to confine myself to any particular kind of spring for this purpose, as a flat, elliptic, coiled, or other equivalent spring may be used to equal advantage. Neither do I wish to confine my self to the precise location of said spring h, as shown in the drawings, as such may be varied without departing from the essence of my invention, it being only essential that the roller 0 shall be capable of a yielding mot-ion relative to the seam-stay andto revolveloosely on its axis as the material is fed forward.

In practice I prefer to feed the seam-stay 6 through the guide-perforation a in the outer end of pressenfoot a, as shown in Fig. 2; but such guide-perforation forms no part of my present invention.

\Vhen the improved presser-foot is used for the purpose of applying seam-stays to the outside of upper-seams, I'make the underside of the horizontal portion of such presser -foot with a guide-groove, a, (shown in Fig. 3,) to receive the seam-stay as it is fed forward; but such guide-groove may be dispensed with if the device is to be used for applying seamstays on the inside of the boot or shoe.

1 am aware that atwin sewing-machine has been provided with two presser-feet andalaterally adjustable springpressed roller arranged between and j ournaled in the forward ends of the presser-feet to hold down the work between the presser-feet; and I am also aware that a presser foot has been provided with an attached spring-pressed arm to press on the material at one side of the presser-foot. Such devices are not claimed by me.

WVhat I wish to secure by Letters Patent and claim is 1. The combination, with a presserfoot having a slot and a needle-hole, of a yielding and revolving roller arranged in said slot, with its axis or center directly opposite and at one side of the needle-hole, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination, with a presser foot having a slot and a needle-hole, of a yielding and revolving conical roller arranged in said slot, with its axis or center approximately in line with the needle-hole, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. The combination, with a presser foot having a slot, of a swinging spring-impelled lever pivoted upon the presser-foot, and a roller journaled on the lever to revolve in the 40 slot of the presser-foot, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my sig nature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY P. LANCASTER. \Vitnesses:

ALBAN ANDREN, M. CADDIE LEWIS. 

